Toronto nightclub bans Meta glasses and people are overjoyed
A popular Toronto nightlife spot just made a landmark move to ban the use of smart eyewear, like Meta glasses, within its establishment.
Ever since smart glasses — wearable devices that allow hands-free, largely undetected filming and audio recording — launched, they've been a hot-button issue. While fans see little wrong with the innovation, detractors argue the dangerous impacts on personal privacy that can come with a hands-free recording device disguised as a benign accessory.
Wiggle Room, a longstanding Dundas West bar and nightclub beloved for its lively DJ sets and dance parties, falls into the latter category.
In a recent Instagram post, the bar announced it's instituting a complete ban on smart glasses to protect the privacy of patrons and staff alike.
"In our continued efforts in maintaining a safer dance space and to protect the privacy of our patrons, Smart Glasses will not be permitted inside Wiggle Room," the post reads, going on to add, "Please only bring traditional eyewear to the dancefloor."
It seems Wiggle Room's patrons support the decision, as the post drew a wave of comments backing the new policy.
"Good. This should be standard policy everywhere," one person comments.
"As a content creator, I 1000% support this! I try to be careful when I do film, so this is a great policy," writes another.
One person offers their services as a "smart glasses smasher" if needed.
Wiggle Room isn't the only business to institute a sweeping ban on smart glasses, either.
Ground Control, Queen West's David Bowie-inspired bar, also recently announced it won't permit patrons to wear the smart accessories.
The concerns about privacy and smart glasses aren't unfounded. Meta is at the centre of an ongoing class action lawsuit where the tech giant and its glasses have been accused of fostering surveillance and violating privacy.
As it stands in Canada, there's no specific law preventing people from being recorded without their knowledge with smart glasses — or any other type of camera, for that matter — in public, and it doesn't look like that's soon to change, so bars like Wiggle Room and Ground Control are offering a virtually unparalleled level of privacy with their new policies.
You can visit Wiggle Room at 772 Dundas St. W., and rest assured that you won't be getting recorded without your consent.
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